Apparatus for unloading coal.



No. 688,290. Pat ented Dec. ID, l90l.

A. E. BROWN. APPARATUS FOR UNLOADING GOAL.

(Application fi1 ed Apr. 13, 1901.) (No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet L 20172725553: fizz/'szzzarf 4 I 7 mm s. M

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No. 688,290. l' atqfited Dec. I0, I91".

A. snowu. APPARATUS FURWUNLOADING coAL.

(Appliction filed. Apr. 13, 1901.) I [(lo Modal.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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No. 688,290. Patented Dec. l0, l90l.

' A. E. BROWN.

APPARATUS FOR UNLOADING GOAL.

7 {Application filed App. 13, .1901.) (llo llodal.) v 5 Sheets-Sheet 3.

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PatentedDec. I0, I90l. A. E. B ROWN. APPARATUS FOR UNLOADING COAL.

(Application filed A r. 13, 1901.

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(No Model.)

Patented Dec. 10, I90].

A. E. BROWN. APPARATUS FURUNLOADING COAL.

' (Application filed Apr. 18, 1901.)

5 Sheets-Sheet 5.

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OF ICE.

ALEXANDER E. BROWN, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO BROWN HOIST ING MACHINERY COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE;

APPARATUS FOR UNLOADING COAL.

srnomIcA'rroN formingpart of Letters Patent Nb. 688,290, dated December 10; 1901. Application filed April 13,1901. Serial No. 55,746. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER E. BROWN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, (whose post-office address is No. 1151 Prospect street, in said city,) have invented a new and useful Apparatus for Unloading Ooal and Like Material from Storage- Bins or other Receptacles; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the drawings accompanying and making a part of this specification.

My said invention relates to that class of devices or apparatus wherein a dumpingbucket receives its load from an overhead supply-reservoir when brought beneath a discharge-orifice in the same and thereafter is lowered to make its dump into cars, locomo 2o tive-tenders, or other place of deposit; and

the feature of my invention which distinguishes it generally from others of the class is that both the hoisting of the bucket to receive the load and the lowering and dumping of the same are accomplished automatically, all by the mechanical arrangements I shall now describe in detail. v

In the accompanying drawings like characters of reference indicate the same parts.

Figure I is a skeleton view of a coal-storage bin equipped with my invention in a direction toward the ends thereof. Fig. 11 is a like view of the same constructions in the direction of their sides. Fig. III is a side eleva- 7 3 5 tion of my apparatus on a more enlarged scale.

Fig. IV is an end elevation on a similar scale. Fig. Vis a diagrammatic side view of the device, disclosing in perspective the several operative parts and indicating in dotted lines 0 the relative position of certain of those parts when the dumping-bucket is at the opposite extreme of its travel from the point occupied by the same as shown in full lines.

Figs. I and II disclose a duplication of my invention, which is a preferable form of the same. I

Referring now to the several figures, Arepresents a storage-bin provided with a discharge-orifice at its lower portion, which orifice, or rather the parts controlling the same, is designated by the letter O. This orifice tion.

may be opened or closed by any suitable means. The bin A is supported at its four corners by posts P P and framework, as shown. Figs. I and II introduce a weighingscale for use in connection with the process of unloading to determine the loads that are from time to time withdrawn from the bin.

Parallel with the side of the bin A and on either side of the discharge-orifice 0 (see Fig. 11) two channel b'ea'ms O and O are fastened at their extremities to two other fixed beams D D, extending between the posts P P at right angles to the beams O O. Stops M M are provided on the beam 0 0 below the sheave T T to limit the upward movement of the bucket K. Upon the beams D, at a distance equal to the width of the bucket to be employed, two pairs of sheaves S and S are severally mounted. Beneath one of these pairs of sheaves (see Figs. III and IV) and attached to the lower cross-beam D is a bracket or platform 1), provided with means by which an operator standing on the same can regulate afriction-brake F. This brake-wheel F is itself affixed to a shaft G, which in turn is suitably supported by or journaled in two parallel columnar parts that are fastened to the lower cross-beam D, as shown more conspicuouslyin Fig. IV. The means for operating said brake F from the platform I) or other suit-able station is of course a non-essential to my present inven- As represented in the drawings herewith, such means involve a partial turn of a shaft 0 in the channel-beam D, whereby motion is transmitted to the band of said friction-brake F, fastened to. the shaft 0, and the said friction-brake is operated as occasion requires.

Keyed or otherwise rigidly fastened to the shaft G at points directly-below the sheaves S are drums E E, and wound around thesame a sufficient number of turns to secure them against slipping are cables H H. One portion of the cables H H (shown in the drawings) 5 extends below said drums E and is attached to counterweights W, while the other portion of the cables is carried upwardly over the sheaves S S to and over sheaves T T (located in any convenient manner in the framework of the bin structure) above the point for operating the bucket K. Thence the cables are carried downwardly to the opposite sides of said bucket, where they are fastened to the loops or eyes L. The bucket K is cubical in form and is provided with two flaps f f, hinged, respectively, to the bucket at its lower edge and of suitable dimensions to be closed against the bucket, and thereby form a bottom to the same. At the exterior of opposing sides of the bucket K two links Z Z are pivotally connected at their upper ends to a cross-bar g, provided with the loop or eye L, and the lower ends, respectively, to the flaps ff, that make up the bottom of the bucket.

On these same sides of the bucket and midway of the upper edge ears 6 e are fastened, to which are attached a second pair of cables h h. The cables 72 pass upwardly over drums or sheaves, located similarly to the sheaves T T, to and freely about the sheaves S S, from which they extend downwardly and are attached to counterweights V W. The counterweights W WV should together be somewhat heavier than the body proper or shell of the bucketK, and the counterweights W W should likewise exceed in weight the combined weight of the flaps ff. At predetermined points, to encounter the weights W W in their ascent, stops N N are provided. Their precise location should be at such distance above the counterweights W W as .is equal to that of the intended fall of the bucket K from the point of its filling to the point it lets go and is freed of its load.

Having thus described a form of apparatus that embodies my said invention, its operation is as follows: The bucket K being empty and the shaft G free to moy e in its journals, the counterweights W W" will draw the bucket up against the channel-beams O and G and under the orifice O of the bin A to a position for filling. At the same time by reason of the preponderance in weight of the counterweights V W over the flaps ff the latter through the links Z Z and the cables h h are brought into bearing against the lower edge of the bucket K and the bucket closed. The operator should now actuate the frictionbrake F to prevent any counter-revolution of the shaft G when the load is introduced and a consequent opening of the flap-bottom ff. The bucket is next filled to any desired and predetermined limit, whereupon the preponderance in weight is shifted to the bucket K and its contents, the counterweight-s W W overcome thereby, and the bucket itself allowed to descend. To effect a descent, however, the friction-brake F should be released from tension sufficiently to permit this. Because of the connection described of the cables H H with the flapsff through the links I and loops L the descent of the bucket will rotate the shaft G and cause the cables H H, wound in a frictional degree around the drums E E, to pay out at a pace or at a rate that is exactly calculated to that of the descent, but which will not allow the flapbottom f f to open during the operation.

When the bucket and its load have in this manner traveled downward to the predetermined limit, it is plain that the counterweights W W will have ascended an equal distance and encountered stops N N, and thus arrested any further downward movement of the bucket proper or shell K. The weight of the buckets cargo or load,however, 7' 5 is now excessive as compared with that of the counterweights \V W,0pposed to the same, and must instantly force the flapsff open and discharge the load. This being done and a further release of the brake for the purpose being effected, the normal relations between the bucket proper and its counterweights W W will be restored and the bucket will ascend to its place for filling,fand on the arrest of said ascent of the bucket-shell K as it encounters the limiting-stops M M, anda further release of the brake F sufficient to permit the weights W W to descend, the flaps or bottom f f will thereby be drawn up to their closed position and the bucket itself 0 closed to receive aload. The brake F, how ever, must now be firmly set in order to hold the flaps or bottom in their closed position against the load to be next introduced.

I am aware that unloading apparatus have heretofore been devised wherein buckets with hinged bottoms have been employed and the bucket raised and lowered by means of a counterweight; but in every such apparatus it is an essential feature that the opening of I00 the bottom of the bucketis onlyaccomplished after the limit of the descent of the shell of the bucket is reached, and the closing of the same is always completed before the ascent of the shell,of the bucket takes place. In the x05 operation, however, of the combination of the various parts of the bucket, counterweights, and controlling device making up my invention and apparatus the opening of the bot tom of the bucket is effected, as in former no cases, after the descent of the shell of the. same has reached its limit; but the closing thereof after a discharge of the load is not and cannot be effected until the shell has again risen to its uppermostlimit at the origi- 1 15 nal point for receiving a load. By reason of this characteristic of my invention and its operation it is plain that material once dumped thereby will not be again picked up by the fiapsff, inasmuch as they remain open dur- I20 ing the entire ascent of the bucket to'its said uppermost limit.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is 7 An apparatus for receiving and discharging coal and other material consisting of a bucket having a bottom hinged, or otherwise movably connected thereto; one or more cables attached to said sides or shell of said bucket at their one end and passing over and being supported by a system of sheaves or drums provided for the purpose, and fastened, at their other ends, to a counterweight or counterweights, heavier than the shell or bucket, together with suitable means of stopping the ascent of saidfirst-named counterweight, or counteiweights, at any predetermined point, and, means for controlling said drum, or drums, all substantially as shown and described.

ALEX. E. BROWN.

In presence of-- F. G. TALLMAN, M. MILLARD. 

